Foodshare

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

DC’s Largest Food Bank Cuts Junk Food By 84%

A year ago, Washington D.C.’s Capital Area Food Bank decided to turn away junk food. From soda to chips, the CAFB has reduced the junk food it supplies to its 444 nonprofit partners, including soup kitchens and food pantries, by 84%. Nearly half of the people receiving CAFB meals have high blood pressure, nearly a quarter have diabetes, or they live with someone who suffers from those illnesses.

These customers’ doctors were telling them to reduce the salt and sugar in their diet and increase fiber. CAFB has not only cut back on sugary snacks and drinks, but it’s also boosted the amount of protein if offers, including 544,000 more pounds of beans and other vegetarian protein than in fiscal year 2015 — an increase of 57%. To improve its inventory, CAFB had to circle back with the 12 grocery store retailers that donate the bulk of the bank’s food to change from the high-sugar, low-nutrition items they historically provided. To date, the CAFB has managed to make improvements and retain relationships with all of its major food donors.